L3. Functional Assays - CFU/BFU plates in vitro

Question 1

What is CFU?

Answer 1

Colony forming unit, forms a visible cluster/colony on a semi-solid medium

Question 2

What is BFU?

Answer 2

Burst forming unit. Clusters, but not in large colonies on a semi-solid medium.

Question 3

How long do the cells have to grow for this in vitro functional assay?

Answer 3

2 weeks in a 37c stove.

Question 4

What is a BFU-E, and what does it become eventually?

Answer 4

Burst-forming unit erythroid lineage. It matures into CFU-E, which in turn becomes a RBC.

Question 5

What is a CFU-GEMM?

Answer 5

Colony Forming Unit, Granulocyte, Erythroid, Monocyte, Megakaryocyte progenitor cells. This means, it is a myeloid progenitor cell and can become one of those mentioned cells.

Question 6

What is a CFU-GM?

Answer 6

CFU-GM is a Colony Forming Unit, Granulocyte Monocyte/Macrophage. This means, it’s a progenitor to monocytes or neutrophils.

Question 7

What is a CFu-GMEo?

Answer 7

Colony Forming Unit, Granulocyte Monocyte Eosinophil progenitor. It means it can eventually become either a monocyte, neutrophil or eosinophil.

Question 8

What is a CFU-BASO?

Answer 8

Colony Forming Unit Basophil. It eventually becomes a basophil.

Question 9

What is the progenitor cell good at, and what can a mature cell not do anymore?

Answer 9

Progenitor cell is good at differentiation and proliferation

Mature cell cannot differentiate anymore.